St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-12-07
public welfare or national eXigency,
must always insure the realization of
IMMENSE PROFITS

public welfare or national exigency,
must always insure the realization of
IMMENSE PROFITS
instead of moderately profitable re-
turns. AS the volume and diversity of
our national activities increase, new
recruits are added to those who desire
continuation of the advantages which
they conceive the present system of
tariff taxation directly affords them. So
StubbOrnly have all efforts TO reform
the present condition been resisted by
those of our fellow citizens thus engaged
that they can hardly complain of the
suspicion, entertained to certain eX-
tent, that there exists an organized COM
binatiOn all along the line to maintain
their advantage. We are in the midst
of centennial celebrations, and with be-
coming pride we rejoice in American
skill and ingenuity, in American energy
and enterprise, and in the wonderful
natural advantages and resources de-
Vel0ped by century'S national growth.
Yet when an attempt is made to justify
scheme which permits tax to be laid
upon every consumer in the land for the
benefit of our manufacturers, quite be-
YOnd a reasonable demand for govern
mental regard, it suits the purposes of
advocacy to call our manufactures in
fant industries. still needing the highest
and greatest degree of favor and foster
ing care that can be wrung from federal
legislation. 1t is also said that the in
crease in the price of domestic manu-
facture resulting from the present tariff
is necessary in order that higher wages
may be paid to our wOrkingmen en-
p loyed in manufactures, than are paid
for what is called pauper labor of
Europe. All will acknowledge the
force of an argument which involves
the welfare and liberal compensation of
our labOring people. Our labor is hon
orable in the eyes of every American
citizens; as is lays the foundation of our
development and progress, it is entitled,
without affectatiOn or hypocrisy, to the
utmost regard. The standard of our
labOrer'S life should not be measured by
that of any other country less favored,
and they are entitled to their full share
of all our advantages,
BY THE LAST CENSUS
it is made TO appear that of the II, 7,392,-
099 of our population engaged in all
kinds of industries. 1910, ,493 are en-
plOyed in agriculture, 4,074,23S in pro-
feSsiOnal and personal service 1894, ,S61
of whom are domestic servants and la
borers), while 1.S10,256 are employed in
trade and transportation and 3,S27.1l2
are claSSed as employed i'll manufactur-
ing and mining. For present purposes,
however, the last number should be
considerably reduced. Without attempt
ing to enumerate all, it will be conceded
that there should be deducted from
these which it includes 375, ,143 carpen-
tiers and jOinerS, 2S5, 401 millinerS, dress
makers and seamstreSSeS, 112, 726 black
smiths, l33, 156 -,tail0rS and taifOresSeS,
102, ,413 masOnS, 76.24l butchers, 1,309
bakers, D., ,0S3 plastererS and 4,S91 en-
gagged in manufacturing agricultural
mplementS-amOunting in aggregate to
1,214 ,023, leaving 2,623, ,0S9 persons en-
plOyed in such manufacturing industries
as are claimed to be benefited by a
high tariff. TO these the appeal
is made to save their employment
and maintain their wages by resist
ing change. There should be no dis
position to answer such suggestions by
the allegation that they are in a
minority among those who. labor, and
therefore should foregO an advantage
in the interest of low prices for the
majority; their compensation, as may
be affected by the operation of tariff
laws, should at all times be scrupu-
lousy kept in view; and yet with slight
reflection they will not overlook the fact
that they are consumers with the rest;
that they, too, have their own wants
and those of their families to supply
from their earnings. and that the price,
of the necesSarieS of life, as well as the
amount of their wages, will regulate the
measure of
THEIR WELFARE AND COMFORT.
But the reduction of taxation demand
ed should be so measured as not to
neceSsitate or justify either the loss of
employment by the working man nor
the lessening of his wages; and the
profits still remaining to the manufac-
turer, after a necessary readjuStment,
should furnish no excuse for the Sacri-
flee of the interests of his employees,
either in their opportunity to work or in
the diminutiOn of their compensation.
Nor can the worker in manufactures
fail to understand that while a high
tariff is claimed to be necessary to allow
the payment of remunerative wages, it
certainly results in very large in
crease in the price of nearly all sorts of
manufactures, which in almost count
less forms he needs for the use of him
self and his family. He receives at the
desk of his employer his wages, and
perhaps before he reaches his home is
obliged, in purchase for family use of
an article which embraces his own
labor, to return in the payment of the
increase i'm price which the tariff per-
mitS. the hard-earned compensation of
many days of toll. The farmer and the
agriculturiStS who manufacture nothing,
but who pay the increased price which
the tariff imposes upon every agricul-
tural implement, upon all he wears, and
upon all he uses and owns. except the
increase of his flOcks and herds and
such things as his husbandry produces
from the soil, is invited to aid in main
tanning the present situation, and he is
told that
A HIGH DUTY
on imported wool is necessary for the
benefit of those who have sheep to
shear, in order that the price of their
wool may be increased. They, of course,
are not reminded that the farmer who
has no sheep is by this scheme obliged.
in his purchase of clothing and wOOlen
goods, to pay a tribute to his fellow
farmer as well to the manufacturer and
merchant; nor is any mention made of
the fact that the sheep owners them
selves and their households must wear
clothing and use other articles manu-
factured from the wool they sell at
tariff prices, and thus as consumers
must return their share of this increased
price to the tradesman. / think it may
be fairly assumed that a large proper
ton of the sheep owned by the farmers
throughout the country are found in
small fiocks, numbering from twenty
five to fifty. The duty OH the grade of
imported wool which these sheep yield
is ten cents each pound if of the value
of so cents or less, and II cents if of the
value of more than 80 cents.
IF THE LIBERAL ESTIMATE
of six pounds be allowed for each fleece,
the duty thereon would be 20 or ~ cents
and this may be taken as the utmost en-
hancement of its price to the farmer by
reason of this duty. Eighteen dollars